1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to games of skill to balance a ball through a course with pitfalls requiring dexterity and hand-eye coordination to maneuver a ball to complete the course.
2. Prior Art
There are various devices that have been developed for the purpose of amusement that require players to acquire a skill in order to become proficient at playing the game. Specifically, games that require a player to balance a ball through a course maze with pitfalls that make the game challenging and interesting.
U.S. Pat. No. 435,790 Boils (1890) introduces a toy that shows a cylindrical tube with a spiral groove lengthwise with a ball. Bolls teaches that his device is to be held with two hands at each end of the cylinder. This is so a person can manipulate the slope to cause the ball to run down hill. The spiral requires a person to turn the cylinder while pitching to keep the ball in the groove. Bolls teaches that his device has an imaginary axis with an infinite amount of positions for a person to pitch and roll the cylinder. Bolls does not teach or suggest that his device be modified to constrain the roll of the cylinder's imaginary axis by utilizing an axle nor does he suggest that his device utilize a compound axis hardware system to control the pitch and roll at the same time with parameters.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,150,761 Hartman (1915) introduces a ball with a spiral groove on the outside and a marble that fits inside the groove. The object of this device is to roll the ball in the groove by controlling the pitch of the cylindrical pin causing the marble to run down hill. Hartman teaches that his device has an imaginary axis with an infinite number of positions. Hartman does not teach or suggest that his device constrain the imaginary axis utilizing hardware to control the parameters.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,500,869 Hinson (1923) shows a triangular bar with a continuous groove traversing the length on the outside with a transparent material covering the groove so as to trap small differing color balls inside the groove as it turns on its axis. Hinson shows that at each end of the triangular bar are pins that allow a person to spin the unit to cause the small balls to run down the groove. Hinson teaches that the object of her device is amusement through participation as a person spins the device the color balls move alone the groove. Hinson teaches that little skill is required to operate her device. Hinson does not teach or suggest that a compound axis hardware system is required or necessary to operate her device. Since multiple balls are in the groove at the same time and the transparent cover keeps them in the groove, balance is not required to move the balls along the groove.
The prior art heretofore known demonstrates many examples of amusement devices that attempt to enhance balancing skill through entertainment. Nevertheless, all of the devices known suffer from a number of disadvantages:                (a) Infinite imaginary axis without constraints does not allow for hand-eye coordination skills utilizing both hands in a resting tandem position. Infinite imaginary axis has the disadvantage of infinite variables without parameters. This makes learning difficult and less uniform amongst different players.        (b) Without constrained two axis hardware system the maze or coarse that a marble follows is necessarily simple and predictable. This leads to boredom of the toy after limited play.        (c) Lack of supporting structure causes stress and fatigue for players resulting in frustration. Without supporting structure a player must utilizing their whole body during manipulation. Players need to stand or sway their body with the device as it moves.        